


Light me up

by Frenchibi



Series: Oikawa Week 2016 [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Confessions, Crying, Day 2, M/M, Oikawa Week 2016, Prompt: Festival, because why the hell not, featuring bonus snarky matsuhana, you know the drill by now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-16
Updated: 2016-07-16
Packaged: 2018-07-24 07:33:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7499550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frenchibi/pseuds/Frenchibi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Oikawa has a plan for New Year's Eve - but Iwaizumi has his own. And, unlike Oikawa, he has help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Light me up

**Author's Note:**

  * For [push_it_hajime](https://archiveofourown.org/users/push_it_hajime/gifts).



> ~~Pipa, this is for you, for your enthusiasm, for staying up with me, and for the impulse that got me over my writer's block. Thank you.~~  
>   
>  It is literally 5:30am. The sun is rising. I pulled an all-nighter to finish this because of my terrible time management.
> 
> Hello and welcome to OIKAWA WEEK DAY 2! (Even though it's technically Day 3 already. Shit.)  
> Prompt: ~~Friends & Rivals~~ | Festivals | ~~Yellow (Intellect/Wisdom)~~

He looks incredibly out of place.

The path leading up to the shrine is littered with stalls offering games and souvenirs and sweet-smelling food, and the place is packed with smiling, excited and enthusiastic people.

Amidst all this positivity and the hopeful New Year's atmosphere, Oikawa sticks out like a sore thumb - he looks utterly defeated, not even caring enough to keep up his usual perfect posture. At the moment he's leaning against Hanamaki heavily, and he looks like he'd rather be anywhere but here. Not even the alien plushies (who WANTS those) that can evidently be won at one of the stalls can keep his attention for long.

Matsukawa has to force himself to stop rolling his eyes at their theatrical Captain for what feels like the tenth time already, and they've barely been here for five minutes.

"Makki~!" Oikawa whines, "what's the point? Iwa-chan's not coming! I wanna go home...!"

Hanamaki clicks his tongue. "Grow up," he says, without sympathy. "You're here now and you're gonna enjoy yourself, if I have to force a candied apple down your throat!"

Matsukawa chuckles a little at the mental image, and Oikawa glares at him. It looses a bit of it's intimidating nature though, because Oikawa is looking _up_ at him.

"Quit being mean! You don't want me here, either - you'd rather be here by yourselves, and I'm just making your stay miserable. Let me go home already!"

Matsukawa raises his eyebrows a little. Oikawa is right, of course, but they're not about to tell him that. He exchanges a glance with Hanamaki that confirms their unspoken agreement: They are sacrificing their potentially romantic New Year's Eve outing as a couple in favor of helping out their friend.

When Iwaizumi came to them with his request, their answer had been instant and unanimous, because if this night went according to plan, years of pining and angst over an unrequited crush (that everyone but them seems to know is most definitely reciprocated) would finally, finally end and make their future lives, in the long run, much less stressful, seeing as they'd be subjected to much, _much_ less of Oikawa's pining. Hanamaki and Matsukawa agreed that that outcome was well worth this one lost night.

Besides, it might not be completely lost. If everything goes well... well.

It doesn't stop Hanamaki from losing his patience with Oikawa's attitude, though.

"Shut up," he's saying, arms crossed in front of his chest. "We're your friends and we're not letting you sulk on your own on New Year's Eve just because your precious Iwa-chan can't make it."

Matsukawa nods, and before Oikawa can open his mouth in protest, he adds: "Exactly. So lighten up already. You don't have to make this harder on us out of spite."

Oikawa looks offended. "Out of sp-! Mattsun, you know perfectly well how important today was! I dropped hints for weeks! I had it all planned out, I was gonna-"

He huffs in annoyance, cutting himself off. "Maybe it's better this way," he says, "Maybe it's just not meant to happen. I'm not supposed to confess to Iwa-chan - he'd probably reject me anyway, he can do so much better than-"

"Oi!" Hanamaki cuts in. "Fucking shut up already!"

Oikawa looks up, startled, because he wasn't expecting him to be this angry.

"Stop self-deprecating. It's tiresome, especially since it's not true. Calm the fuck down, Captain. You won't change anything by being so goddamn bitter about it, and honestly, it's annoying."

Oikawa gapes at him, momentarily at a loss for words. Matsukawa takes his chance and speaks up, before their captain can start complaining again: "C'mon, Oikawa. You'll see him soon enough. I didn't think you put that much emotional value on arbitrary man-made holidays like New Year's Eve...?"

"If it's so _arbitrary_ , why won't you let me go home?" Oikawa snaps.

"Cause you'll be sulking on your own, and that's not good on any day," Matsukawa says, unperturbed.

"You're here so you might was well enjoy it," Hanamaki adds, still sounding angry.

Oikawa glares at them, but then the fight leaves him. "...fine," he says, and mutters something under his breath. Matsukawa doesn't catch it, but his tone of voice says enough.

He rolls his eyes and digs a few coins out of his pocket, which he then thrusts at Oikawa.

"Go buy yourself some food, before you become completely insufferable. We're gonna enjoy ourselves, and games are no fun if you lose by default 'cause you're whining so much."

The setter looks extremely reluctant, giving Matsukawa's hand a death glare before looking up at him and declaring: "I've got my own money. I don't need your pity."

It's not really convincing, his mask of pride, what with the way he's pouting. Matsukawa doesn't comment though, and pockets his change. "Suit yourself."

Oikawa gives them both one last glare before stomping off to the nearest food stall.

Hanamaki scowls after him. "Keep him busy, he said. Don't let him leave, he said. It's like trying to control a fucking infant!"

"Shut up, Hiro, he'll hear you," Matsukawa says, but he can't quite manage to sound more than half-hearted at best.

"I don't fucking _care_ if he hears me!" Hanamaki huffs, throwing his arms up in frustration. He does quiet down - not that Oikawa is paying attention to them either way, he's too busy sulking at his immediate food choices.

"Fucking hell. Iwa owes us big time."

Matsukawa shrugs. "He helped us out, too."

Hanamaki narrows his eyes at him. After a moment, he says: "...you've gone soft, Issei."

Matsukawa contemplates this. "...maybe." He looks over to where Oikawa is standing in line, and starts to move towards him, rather reluctantly. "We shouldn't let him make a run for it. I wouldn't put it past him."

"Ugh," Hanamaki says, with relish. Matsukawa sighs and drapes his arm around his boyfriend's shoulders. "C'mon. Let's annoy the Captain."

"...you're lucky we're already dating," Hanamaki says, with a pout that could rival Oikawa's. "Your idea of flirting sucks."

~~~

The evening is... not as terrible as it could have been. Fortunately, Hanamaki and Matsukawa are good at distracting Oikawa, and after they let him beat them at a couple of the stalls, his sour-faced mask starts to crack. Admittedly, what follows is not necessarily that much better, but for some reason Oikawa is easier to deal with when he's gloating than when he's upset.

"...dunno how Iwa does it," Hanamaki tells Matsukawa, as they stand off to the side, watching Oikawa kneeling over a pool full of fish, flipping one onto the flimsy little net like he does this every day, except that when he succeeds, he jumps to his feet in triumph, startling the group of little kids attempting their luck beside him.

"Iwa's got an in-built filter for..." Matsukawa gestures to Oikawa. "...all that. And a calming effect on him, I think."

Oikawa sneers over at them, even though there's no way he heard. "I know you're talking about me, Mattsun, Makki! I'll have you know that that's _rude_!"

"You go, Hanger-kun," Hanamaki fake-cheers, ignoring his comment - and then he laughs when the tiny net tears from Oikawa's sudden movement and the fish plops back into the water.

Matsukawa rolls his eyes. "Let's go do something else, Cap. You don't need that fish anyway."

Oikawa scowls. "I was gonna give it to Iwa-"

But he stops himself, and something dark passes over his face. "...nevermind. Let's go."

Hanamaki exhales. "...you build him up, but he doesn't _want_ to be distracted. It's like trying to cheer up a wall."

Before Matsukawa can say anything, though, there's a rather high-pitched squeal somewhere to their right.

"OIKAWA-SAN!"

Matsukawa wonders briefly if this girl - and the tree others clamouring excitedly behind her - has any form of self-awareness, at all, but that question almost seems superflous. The girls crowd around Oikawa in a heartbeat, and it's almost scary how quickly Oikawa is all smiles and waves all of a sudden, not a trace of his earlier sulkiness to be found.

"...well I'll be damned. He should'a asked _them_ to keep him busy!" Hanamaki says, not without awe in his voice.

Matsukawa just gives him a hard look. "Count your blessings. We're gonna have to follow them, you know that, right? Can't let him get away just yet."

"...shit."

~~~

From then on, it's a steady plunge downwards.

Matsukawa soon realizes that Oikawa is, in fact, only human - the longer he and Hanamaki watch their Captain entertain the group of girls (that seems to be growing, somehow), taking selfies with them and agreeing to play games and indulge them, the more his exhaustion is shining through. He looks stiff, and definitely not comfortable.

"...think it's time to save him?"

Matsukawa glances at Hanamaki, then pulls out his phone to check the time. "...yeah. Wanna do the honors?"

Hanamaki rolls his eyes. "Not really, but someone's gotta. Into the fray, and all that."

"Please don't yell anything embarrassing."

"..."

"Please. Hiro."

"...okay. For you, darling." He gives him a ridiculous little wave, then turns to the gaggle of girls (how are there, like, fifteen of them already?) and calls: "Hey! Cap!"

Oikawa twists around, and Matsukawa would be lying if he said he didn't see the relief flashing across his expression.

"Makki!" he calls, and his enthusiasm seems a little more real now. "Ah, sorry - I'm actually here with my friends, so I'm gonna have to go-"

A clamour of disappointment fills the air, and Oikawa manages a smile that almost seems genuine. (Matsukawa is sure the girls can't tell.)

"Don't worry, I'll see you all around, okay? Have fun! And happy new year!"

The reply he gets almost sounds like a student-teacher thing, a near-perfect chorus of "You too, Oikawa-san!" and Matsukawa has to stop himself from giggling.

Oikawa disentangles himself from the group, fitting himself between his two teammates and managing to walk normally until they're far enough away so the girls don't see him when he sags, shoulders slumping as he groans.

"...why won't you let me go home...?" he moans, and Matsukawa almost pities him. Almost.

"My knee hurts!" Oikawa complains, when no one reacts. Oh.

"Uhm," Hanamaki says, and he seems to return to a more serious attitude. He knows, just as Matsukawa does, that the captain's injury is no laughing matter. "Yeah. Sorry about that, they kind of swooped in. Scary, to be honest."

Matsukawa nods, and he reaches around Oikawa to give him some support, letting the setter lean against him so he can take the weight off his knee.

"I gotta say, though, you were very convincing."

Oikawa scoffs. "...I need to sit down."

Matsukawa cranes his neck and looks around (not that he needs to, really, he's tall enough as it is), trying to see past the illuminted stalls at the edge of the path. "There's benches behind there, right? Or... the steps of the shrine?"

The setter huffs out a breath, letting a little more weight fall into Matsukawa. "...bench, preferably."

Hanamaki nods. "I'll go find one. Be right back." And he ducks into the crowd and vanishes.

Matsukawa hoists Oikawa up with one arm, and starts moving them in the same direction. "Might as well get moving."

Oikawa doesn't reply, simply following along. Matsukawa worries, briefly, if his knee is hurting more than he's letting on - but he might also just be exhausted. It's not like he wants to be here, really.

Hanamaki rejoins them before they get very far, and he loops Oikawa's free arm around his shoulders to help. "Found one," he says, "this way."

The bench is between two of the cherry trees that line the path, and it's covered in a thin layer of moisture, which Hanamaki swiftly brushes off with his sleeve.

Matsukawa lowes Oikawa down, and the setter exhales as all weight finally falls away from his legs.

"...you wearing the brace?" Hanamaki asks.

"Yeah, but it slipped. Give me a minute."

And he proceeds to rearrange himself, which is rather awkward through several layers of clothing, but he seems to manage somehow.

Finally he leans back with a small, satisfied sound, turning to face the other two and opening his mouth to speak - but no words come out, because something behind them catches his eye.

Matsukawa frowns, turning to see what he's looking at, and freezes.

Oikawa's voice breaks the silence. "...Iwa-chan...?"

~~~

"Oh."

Iwaizumi - who had been walking past behind the stalls to avoid the main crowd, where Oikawa was _supposed_ to be - stops in his tracks. Of course. Things could never go according to any semblance of a plan where Oikawa was involved.

"...hey," he says, because is there really any other option now? Plan B.

He walks over to the other three, hands in his pockets. Oikawa's expression is somewhere between confused and indignant.

"Iwa-chan, what- why are you here? You told me you're with your family today!"

Yes. Well.

"...uhm. Change of plans...?"

But Oikawa is having none of it. "What the FUCK, Iwa-chan? You could have texted me! Or called! Or... something! Anything!"

"Well. Uhm."

Matsukawa sighs, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "You might wanna take it from here, Ace."

Oikawa looks up at him in surprise - and then his eyes flit over to Hanamaki, who looks just as unimpressed.

"...you two- you knew?"

Hanamaki shrugs a little. "Just making good on a promise. Sorry for dragging you around, Cap, with your knee and all that."

"Yeah," Matsukawa says, nodding. Then he looks to Iwaizumi. "...sorry," he says. Oikawa's eyes widen.

"It's fine," Iwaizumi says. He'd been expecting something to interfere with his plans anyway. Something always does. "Thanks for your help, guys. I've... I've got this."

They exchange nods, and then Hanamaki loops his fingers together with Matsukawa's and starts leading him away. "Have a nice evening, you two," he calls over his shoulder, and Matsukawa gives a little wave.

Oikawa watches them leave, but then he turns to Iwaizumi.

"What the fuck, Iwa-chan?!"

And he's getting to his feet, even though Iwaizumi can tell it must hurt to put pressure back on his knee, because he winces when weight hits his leg.

"Oikawa, wait-"

"You were planning to come here all along? _Without me?_ "

And there's a lot of hurt in Oikawa's voice. Iwaizumi knows why. They've come to this shrine every year ever since they met - it's just a thing they do, like their own tradition.

_You know there's no way I'd miss that, right?_

"Of course not."

Oikawa stops, indignant reply falling just short of passing his lips. He does a double-take.

"So why did you lie to me, then?"

Iwaizumi lets himself take time to answer, choosing his words carefully.

"...can you. Uhm. Can I answer that in like... fifteen minutes?" he asks finally.

Oikawa blinks, and Iwaizumi can practically see the cogs working in his brain. "Oh," he says.

"Also, like... do you think you can walk? 'Cause I wanna show you something."

The setter has gone uncharacteristically quiet, merely nodding meekly. "Help me, Iwa-chan?"

But it's not like he needs to ask. Iwaizumi is at his side immediately, easily taking half of his weight. "Okay?"

"...yeah."

He steps forward, but then Oikawa flinches, and Iwaizumi can feel his muscles tighten where their sides are pressed together.

"...how bad is it?" he asks. Oikawa exhales. "Was worse before," he says. "Did too much walking, I think."

It's rare for him to admit it outright, but Iwaizumi is grateful that he did. He slows their pace, pulling Oikawa along as they make their way towards the shrine. He turns off in another direction before they reach it, though, to a cluster of trees a little way off, and out of sight from the crowd on the path.

The further they walk, the darker it gets. Oikawa is leaning heavily on him, so Iwaizumi feels him laugh just as much as he hears it, when he says: "...feels an awful lot like you're kidnapping me, Iwa-chan."

Iwaizumi snorts. "Sure."

"No, wait. You'd probably just kill me and throw my body in a ditch!"

"Shut up, Shittykawa. I wouldn't stoop to that level. If I wanted you dead, I'd have nothing to do with it. I'd have you assassinated and all evidence linking the two of us erased."

Oikawa huffs. After a moment's consideration, he says: "...that's a lot of evidence, if you think about it."

Iwaizumi hesitates, because yes, it is. It really is. _My entire life, for crying out loud._

Oikawa is everywhere, and Iwaizumi doesn't know who he'd even be without him.

"...yeah," Iwaizumi says, but he can't deny the pause. Oikawa doesn't call him out on it though, which, in itself, is kind of weird as well.

Instead, he makes a small, surprised sound. "...is that a blanket?"

He doesn't mention what else he's surely seeing - small glow-in-the-dark stars scattered all over it.

Iwaizumi feels a grin worming its way onto his face. So it begins.

"Yes. Sit."

And, to his surprise, Oikawa complies immediately, even though he's muttering "I'm not a dog, Iwa-chan, don't tell me what to do." But he sits down, and Iwaizumi can feel his eyes follow him as he gets to work.

He walks over to the nearest two trees, which look like they started out as two separate plants but gradually merged into one, their trunks growing together and the upper branches curving around one another.

Oikawa shifts, and Iwaizumi turns back to see his eyes widen. He's seen the cables, evidently.

"Watch this," Iwaizumi says, and he reaches behind him and flips the switch.

The tiny patch of grass Oikawa is sitting in is instantly illuminated. Oikawa's eyes go wide as he realizes what Iwaizumi has done - what he spent most of the evening preparing, and the reason he didn't show up for the festival.

It's fairy lights.

There must be at least three or four different sets, and they're all over those two trees, glowing warmly.

Oikawa's eyes, taking in the lights above him, finally move away and settle back on Iwaizumi - and he gasps.

Because behind him, between the two trees-

And he starts laughing.

"Hey!" Iwaizumi says, but most of his anger is just an act. "I did the best I could, don't _laugh_!"

"Iwa- is that supposed to be an _alien_?"

Oikawa leans forward to get a better look, but it only has him laughing harder - and Iwaizumi feels like his world stops, and all there is, all he sees is Oikawa and his stupid, perfect face, and _that laugh_ -

"Iwa- ha- ...Iwa-chan, what-"

But he can't speak, not really, not when he's laughing so hard.

Iwaizumi walks back up to him. "Shut up," he says. He might be blushing. Then he reaches into his pocket and pulls out his second gift.

He thrusts it at Oikawa, who grabs at it awkwardly in order to catch it, ending up with it squeezed up against his chest. He pulls back, looking down at what's in his hand.

"Thought of you when I saw that," Iwaizumi says, but it comes out more defensive than he intends it.

Oikawa looks up at him with wide eyes.

"...an alien... plushie?"

"Yes, shut up," Iwaizumi says, with no real fire. And then: "Happy New Year, Tooru."

Oikawa's eyes go, if possible, even wider.

But instead of asking about the name like Iwaizumi expects him to, he says: "...what's- why all this? Why now?"

Iwaizumi shrugs a little, like it's no big deal. Like he's not nervous enough for his heart to jump out of his chest.

"I've got some things I wanna tell you. Okay?"

The setter eyes him, still a little suspicious, but then he nods slowly. "Okay."

And he waits.

Iwaizumi's heart lurches again because Oikawa is just. Everything. Patient, dedicated, hard-working, fierce. And he deserves to get everything right back.

And suddenly, it's not nearly as difficult to find words.

"You know we... we've been friends for as long as I can remember. You've always been part of my life and I'm- I'm really grateful for that. I don't think I'd be where I am now without you."

Oikawa looks like he wants to say something, but Iwaizumi shakes his head a little. "Listen, first. Please. I need you to know that... you're incredibly important to me. No matter what happens, I hope that... we'll stay that way. I want to be close enough to you so I don't forget how to hear you even if you don't say anything."

Iwaizumi pauses, making sure Oikawa is still with him, still listening. He is. _Of course he is._

"That's. That's not why I brought you here, though, or why I did all that." He gestures to the illuminated trees behind him with a small smile. "I did that because... I think you're hiding something from me, and I want to know the truth."

Oikawa blinks. "...what?"

"I've been... noticing, lately, that you're acting differently around me," Iwaizumi explains, choosing his words carefully again. "You... you've been watching me more. And you've been... closer. A lot. Clapping me on the back, high-fiveing me, hugging me. And it's not... not that it bothers me, but. I think I understand what it means. If... if I'm not... getting this all wrong, then I feel like I should tell you, that I-"

But he stops himself, and makes himself look at Oikawa because this is the important part.

"I feel the same."

He exhales, and turns back to the tree, and the slightly lopsided alien-head he made from wire and illuminated with green glowsticks.

"You're a dumb nerd, but... I like you, Tooru. And I hope that... that you feel the same way."

And he stands there, feeling ridiculously proud of himself for a second - but at the sight of Oikawa's expression, his stomach drops.

The setter is staring at him, eyes wide and lips parted, completely incredulous. And Iwaizumi panics.

"Oh, God. I got it wrong, didn't I?" _I misread this, I was so sure but maybe I was wrong, maybe you don't actually feel-_

His panic must show on his face, because Oikawa looks shocked as well - but only for a second. Then he reaches forward and grabs Iwaizumi's arm, hard, snapping himself out of it.

"No, no!"

And they both freeze again, awkwardly facing each other, neither of them sure what to do next. Oikawa squeezes the plushie to his chest.

"Iwa-chan," he says finally, just as Iwaizumi is about to condemn the idea of his feelings being reciprocated. He stops, looking up at him.

"...yeah?"

"Iwa-chan... you're so... stupid," he says, and his eyes are brimming with tears. "...so, so stupid."

Iwaizumi manages a half-chuckle. "Am I?"

Oikawa nods, even as the first tears roll over his cheeks. "You- you even have to ask?"

Iwaizumi blinks. "If I'm stupid?"

"If I _like_ you."

Oh.

"Oh."

Iwaizumi hesitates. "Well. I wasn't- exactly sure."

Oikawa shakes his head. "That's stupid." And he tugs on Iwaizumi's arm, pulling him down to sit on the blanket so he can look at him properly. "You know."

Of all the things Oikawa could have said, Iwaizumi would never have expected it to be those two words that would break him. Then again, he thinks, as tears start trickling down his face as well, _this is Oikawa, after all_. Ever-changing, growing, blooming Oikawa. _Tooru._

And Iwaizumi realizes that yeah, he does know. Maybe he's always known. But that knowledge was what gave him the courage to finally come out and say it.

"...yeah," he says quietly. "I... guess I do."

He reaches forward, nudging Oikawa a little. "...I still wanna hear you say it, though."

Oikawa tries to roll his eyes at him, but given the state he's in and the mess that is his face right now, it's not really effective. Iwaizumi just smiles.

And it's like watching the sun rise, how Oikawa seems to glow and his entire face lights up, just like the lights around them (and the fireworks high above, that neither of them are noticing).

"I love you, Iwa-chan."

And that's what makes it all worth it.

~~~

On the other side of the shrine, Matsukawa has managed to secure a spot that's a little out of the way (meaning not crowded) but still has a view of the fireworks and the lights of the stalls below. Hanamaki doesn't really seem to be paying attention to the view, though - he's leaning against Matsukawa, his back up against the other boy's chest, and his eyes are unfocused.

"...you know," Matsukawa says, breaking the relative silence around them.

"...hm?"

Hanamaki comes back out of his stupor, and turns his head so he can look at him.

"... I hope Iwa got what he wanted. I mean... he went through a lifetime of suffering to get it."

Hanamaki rolls his eyes, twisting around so he can look at Matsukawa properly. "That's their own fault for not opening their eyes," he decides.

"Fair enough."

"...hey, Issei?"

"Yeah?"

Hanamaki twists his fingers into the hem of Matsukawa's shirt, pulling him closer.

"...even if it's arbitrary, I kind of like it. We should... come back again next year. Maybe even... bring those two idiots. Don't you think?"

Matsukawa grins at him. "Couldn't agree more."

**Author's Note:**

> ...do Japanese New Year's Festivals even _have_ fireworks? ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯  
>   
>  So I tried a different, less... emotionally intense approach to their relationship, and threw in some MatsuHana. Thought I'd switch things up a bit.
> 
> Let me know what you guys think - comments are always appreciated, or hmu on [tumblr](http://frenchibi.tumblr.com)!


End file.
